Page 38 of Bossy Hero

“Dad, you should leave. You weren’t invited for a reason,” Sammy piles on, a slight tremble in her voice.

She crosses her arms and raises her chin. The expression is eerily similar to the way her mother eyed me down a few minutes earlier by the bar.

At least Madeline’s kids aren’t on theall-is-forgivenbandwagon.

Which begs the question, if they can hold firm, why can’t she?

Maddie attempts once more to defuse the situation. “Everyone, please be reasonable. This is supposed to be a celebration.”

Instead of speaking for himself, Travis Mason stands behind her with a cocky smirk on his face. I can’t get a true glimpse into his eyes, but I don’t need to look deeply to see what he’s made of.

He’s a monster.

And he’s thrilled to have her fighting his battle. That’s what this whole scene is about. He challenged her to stand up for him. Put her in a spot where she has to be the peacemaker, all to prove she’s still under his control. And he’ll use the situation to draw out Maddie’s sympathy.

He’s vile. Down to his marrow.

Maddie’s pleading eyes bounce between her children and Sawyer but pointedly avoid mine, despite my body positioning making it clear where I stand in this matter. And I don’t know why, but it’s like a sucker punch to my jaw.

I snap.

With my mouth slammed shut so I don’t cuss him out in front of the crowd, I brush past Maddie and grab Travis by the collar of his dress shirt. There’s no hesitation in my movements as I drag him from the party.

It takes Travis three steps before he realizes what’s happening and sends his hands flailing toward my wrists, foolishly attempting to free himself. After five steps, his lips start flapping and flinging curses at me.

My grip is unyielding, though. And I don’t give a fuck what he says.

He’s leaving. Immediately.

By eight steps, he’s fighting back, throwing punches toward me that I bob my head to avoid. He gets me in the back of the head with one, but I barely flinch. I’ve got a thick skull.

Sawyer dashes ahead to prop open the door for us. As soon as we’ve cleared the threshold, I shove Travis Mason full force onto the pavement. His hands go flying so he catches himself instead of face-planting. That’s unfortunate.

He rolls over, fists in front of him, and scurries away from me. But I don’t kick someone when they’re already down.

I’m not like him.

Squatting beside him, I hover my index finger an inch from his face. “Get the fuck out of here and leave her alone. She doesn’t need an abusive piece of shit like you in her life. Sign the fucking divorce papers.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he spits out, dribbles of saliva dotting his chin. “This has nothing to do with you. She’s my wife, and those are my kids. What happens between us is no concern of yours.”

Now that we’re outside, Leo lets his volume spike. “No one fucking wants you here, Travis.”

Leo’s dismissal of him gives me a sense of pride, but it equally enrages me that Madeline doesn’t do the same.

Travis continues shuffling backward.

Coward.

I let him go while trying to control my breathing so I don’t tear him in half with my bare hands. Even if he deserves far worse than that.

“Just fucking leave,” I growl at him, refusing to acknowledge what he said.

For some reason, his words keep running through my mind as I stare him down.

This is his family. Not mine.

The words are true, yet they might as well be battery acid on my flesh.

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